Published 4:00 am, Friday, May 28, 1999

It sounds like one of those deals even someone on a sports radio station might have trouble making up. But, on the day of the NFL Draft, with the clock ticking on New England's first pick, the Patriots got a call from the Falcons.

Dan Reeves, the Falcons' boss, wanted to know if the Patriots, who are desperate for a running back after losing Robert Edwards to a possible career-ending knee injury, would like to have Anderson.

And, oh, by the way, mind if I give you a winning lottery ticket?

So let's see if we understand this now.

The Falcons are coming off the best season in their history. They won the NFC Championship. Interest in Atlanta is running high in the team. The city will host the next Super Bowl. Season-ticket sales are rising.

And, in the middle of all this, the Falcons try to trade their best player.

Why would they want to do such a thing?

Success in the NFL is fragile. Few teams really achieve it, and fewer still maintain it for long. The Falcons never before achieved it, and this tends to indicate they may not have it for long.

What we know for sure is this: On draft day, Reeves called the Patriots and offered them Anderson, considered by some to be the league's Most Valuable Player last season. The Patriots were interested. But, because New England already was on the clock and had no time to work out the deal or a contract extension with Anderson (who can be a free agent after the season), there was no trade.

Reeves has described the call as typical draft-day negotiations that didn't mean much, but he's having a hard time convincing Anderson and his Oakland-based agent, Jim Sims, of that. Sims has described the situation as "very perplexing."

It turns out the Falcons are in a bind. They have 12 starters eligible for free agency next offseason, and they have to make decisions. Anderson will want a ton of money. He also deserves it. He's not only the team's best player but also its most popular one. He's a recognizable star. He's a media darling.

Anderson, just 26, who led the NFC in rushing last season, wants to stay in Atlanta and would like to see the Falcons retain the nucleus of their team. He put up with a lot of losing to get to last year. He wants to sign a long-term deal but he's now concerned that, even if he stays, the Falcons might let too many other players go. So negotiations are moving slowly.

"Jamal just came out of misery for the first part of his career," Sims said. "He doesn't want to go back into it for the latter part of his career."

This is a textbook case of how not to deal with success. Most good teams figure out ways to keep their best players, usually by restructuring contracts and signing the key people to long-term deals. The way to stay at the top level is to work with your best players, not to get rid of them.

Since draft day, Reeves has spoken with Anderson to try to smooth things over. Anderson believes the tone of the negotiations has changed since the trade talk became known. Reeves says he called the Patriots only because, a year earlier, they had initiated an inquiry about Anderson. But that was then and this is now. This time, Reeves did the initiating.

Maybe there is more here than meets the eye.

During offseasons, Anderson remains in Utah and works out on his own. Reeves, like most coaches, wants to control his players. He wants Anderson in the offseason program in Atlanta, and Reeves can't get him.

It's hard for Reeves to make a point that not participating in the offseason program is hurting Anderson. Last year, Anderson set an NFL record by carrying the ball 410 times while rushing for 1,846 yards, the ninth-highest total in league history. Since becoming a regular, Anderson has had three straight 1,000-yard seasons.

Anderson says he's willing to make concessions. He says he'd be willing to work out in Atlanta during the offseasons if the Falcons give him a favorable deal. He's looking for a $10 million signing bonus in a long-term contract.

It might be worth pointing out that, despite all of Reeves' success as a coach, he has not worked with a lot of superstar players. It is to his credit that he has won with lesser talents, for the most part.

But he did not get along with John Elway, his only superstar in Denver, and now, it seems, he may not be getting along with Anderson, his biggest star in Atlanta.

So here's some free advice to the Falcons: Sign Anderson, and do it soon. Then get to work on keeping the nucleus of the team -- players like defensive linemen Chuck Smith and Lester Archambeau -- together.

The 49ers have dominated the NFC West not only because they have managed to keep key parts of their team together, but also because their competition generally has been in disarray. This is further evidence of that.